Basketball doubleheader raises money for children and youth

January 26, 2008|By ASHLEY HARTMAN

CHAMBERSBURG, PA. -- It was not just a basketball doubleheader that brought hundreds of people to Chambersburg Area Senior High School Saturday night. It also was a chance to honor a little boy named Drew Michael Taylor.

Drew, the 3 1/2-year-old son of Marcie and Randy Taylor of Shippensburg, Pa., died in a traffic accident on June 13, 2006. After his death, the Taylors established the Drew Michael Taylor Foundation to provide educational opportunities for children and youth, according to the foundation's Web site, www.drewmichaeltaylor.org.

"(Randy and Marcie) want to promote physical well-being and educational activities (to children) in honor of their son," said Kaitlin Daley, a junior at Shippensburg University who is an intern for the foundation.

Shippensburg Area Senior High School and the Scotland School for Veterans' Children played in the first game, and Chambersburg Area Senior High School played Greencastle-Antrim High School in the nightcap.

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"With Randy being a basketball coach and being friends with all the other coaches, it was a good way to honor Drew," Marcie Taylor said of her husband, who coaches the Scotland School for Veterans' Children basketball team.

"This is awesome, this is just great," she said of the number of people who attended the game. "It's standing-room only."

"It's a great night of basketball, but the main thing is learning about our foundation," she said.

"Randy and Marcie just put so much time into it," Daley said. "It's great to see the people coming to find out what this is all about."

The four teams that played were schools that the Drew Michael Taylor Foundation directly supports through its funds.

"Our foundation funds many different programs under one fund," Marcie Taylor said.

The foundation's projects include a Greencastle-Antrim Community Service Award, a Lancaster Catholic Scholarship, Ready. Set. Go., and the Scotland School for Veterans' Incentive Program.

"I have no idea what this will add up to, any amount is great," Marcie Taylor said. "I would hope for a few thousand dollars."

The Taylors' daughter, Lauren, 8, was surprised at how many people attended the game.

"I wasn't expecting this many people," Lauren said.

The Taylor family also has connections to the four schools. Marcie is a Spanish teacher at Chambersburg Area Senior High School, Randy is the coach for the Scotland School for Veterans' Children and used to work at Greencastle-Antrim High School, and Lauren is a student in the Shippensburg Area School District.

Students and employees of the school districts involved in the game had the opportunity to win prizes. Students could shoot basketballs from different areas of the court to win money, and employees could win a $250 gift certificate to any Hershey's Resort or entertainment venue, or four box seat tickets for a Hershey Bears hockey game.